Mechanical counting relay



Oct. 21, 1952 K. w. GRAYBILL EIAL MECHANICAL COUNTING RELAY Filed Dec.1, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IO I //VJO/97/0/V INVENTORS. KENNETH W.GRAYBILL HANS SENGEBUSCH ATTORNEY Oct. 21, 1952 K. w. GRAYBILL ETAL2,615,086

MECHANICAL COUNTING RELAY Filed Dec. 1, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4INVENTORs.

KENNETH w. GRAYBILL BY HANS SENGEBUSCH 28 ATTORNEY 1952 K. w. GRAYBILLETAL 2,615,086

MECHANICAL COUNTING RELAY iled Dec. 1, 1949 3 Sheets-Sneet 3 4 FIG. 6

INVENTORs. KENNETH W. GRAYBILL HANS SENGEBUSCH ATTORN E Y Patented Oct.21 1 952 busch, Villa Park, Ill., assi'g nors to Automatic ElectricLaboratories, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationDecember 1, 1949, Serial No. 130,454

10 Claims. 1

This invention relates in general to selector switches of the typeemployed in the automatic telephony art and more particularly, to thecounting relay type thereof.

Accordingly, an object, of the invention is to provide an improvedcounting relay type stepping switch.

A feature of the invention lies in the individual latching mechanismscorresponding to digit impulses to be counted.

Another feature of the invention is its adaptation to a continuous chainlike operating sequence.

A further feature in keeping with the last mentioned feature is a 'bailand pin arrangement insuring said continuous chain like operatingsequence.

These and other objects and features Will be more particularly pointedout in the ensuing specification taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view from theleft and front of the device.

Fig. 2 is an isometric viewof one of the driving members and shows itsinterconnection with a group of four contactors.

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of one of the cocking elements of thedevice.

Fig. 4 is a side section of the first and second driving members, theirassociated cocking elements and springs as well as the bail and pin.

Fig. 5 is a side section showing the same elements as Fig. 4 except thatthe first driving member and associated cocking mechanism is in itsforward or operated position.

Fig. 6 is a side section showing the same elements as Fig. 4 with thefirst driving member returned to normal and the second one lowered intoits operate position.

Fig. 7 is an Oblique view of the first three driving members, associatedcocking elements, bail and pin and common driving armature.

Referring now to the drawings, a detailed 'description of the mechanismand its operation follows.

Here also, as stated in our co-pending application, Serial No. 115,468,filed September 13, 1949, to which reference may be had, the instant invention presents a rather complicated mechanism, and to facilitate thedescription and render it more readily understandable, locative ordirectional adjectives such as rear, forward and so forth will be used.For this purpose, the reference positions used will be the left andfront sides of the device as shown in the perspective view in Fig. 1.

The device is mountedion a frame I which may be a cold rolled steelstamping. Frame 1 has a base portion 2 at the rear of which and risingperpendicularly therefrom is heelpiece 3. Two driving magnets 6 and lare mounted side by side on the lower portion of heelpiece -3 just abovethe base portion 2. Above the magnets 6 and l rigidly connected to andextending perpendicularly forward from the lateral edges of heelpiece -3are ears 4 and 5. Secured to the outer surfaces of cars :4 and 5 andextending in parallel relationship rearward are ears '8 and 9. Theseears 8 and 9 are made of an electrically non-conducting material. Alongthe upper edges of ears 8 and 9 and rearward of heelpiece 3 are boredfour spaced apart holes into which are set four bar contacts l0, Theseb'ar contacts *IO all lie in a plane parallel to base 2 and each bar 10parallels heelpiece 3 as well. The left ends of bar contacts 4 0 projectbeyond the outer surface of ear 8 and terminate in flattened endcontacts H; Below and to one side of three of the bar contacts 10 arebored into ears 8 and 9 three more spaced apart holes and passedtherethru are three insulated bar rests 12. Bar rests l2 also lie in aplane paralleling base 2 and each parallels the heelpiece 3 and the barcontacts In while being positioned below and slightly rearward of thefirst three of contacts l0 counting front to rear. Beneath base portion2 and attached to the lateral sides thereof is a sub-base element l3which extends rearward beneath heelpiece 3, then rising in a verticalwall l4 flush against the rear of heelpiece 3 and extending laterally'therebeyond. Attached to vertical wall M by means of a clamping plate15 and bolts, not shown, are twelve ranks of contactors [6, each rankcomprising four contactors it one behind the next, separated one fromanother, and held in place by insulating strips I? hear the lower endsthereof between clamping plate I 5 and vertical wall It. The upper endsof these contactors 16 extend upward a proper distance to permitengagement with bar contacts In. Eleven of these ranks of fourcontactors each are positioned between ears '8 and 9 while one rank ispositioned outwardly adjacent ear '8 and extends to contact the fiatends ll of the bar con-- tacts l0 which were stated to extend beyond ear8. The twelve ranks of contactors l6 form four files, each filepositioned forwardly of its associated bar contact [0. Each of the threerearwardmost contactors [6 in each rank of the eleven ranks between ears8 and 9 is tension'ed so as to bear against the insulating bar l2 infront thereof; while the front contactors 16 in each of the 3 elevenranks are tensioned to bear against the frontmost studs on theassociated driving members 29 subsequently described. All eleven ranksof cont actors (5 within the confines of ears 8 and S are movable intoengagement with the bar contacts 59, one rank at a time, the mechanismidilvhi'cl'fwilldoe described tr er-"smarter, while the twelfth rank bfcontactors lfi"oiitside of ear 3 is tensioned so as to be in contactwith bar contact ends H at all times. contactors i5 terminates at itsother endinea terminal Ito. Each of the contactoisd'fi m'ay'at its uppercontacting end belaspl it' to io'rmtwi contacts as shown in Figs. d2hereby'dolibl assuring good contact with bars HT.-

Ears and 5 have axially holes bored therethru serving as bearingsurfaces wfor-shaft On shaft i8, between ears 4 and 5, equally spacedSituated above these ten cocking elements 13 l'o'i ituc lina l-ly -thru'1" the f switch,

A Al eleven 1 driving members- 2 0': are n v bly 'n'o' 1"" to haveTarange ofrom ertica l movement up; and down.

1 the 'driving -.-'members 2 0: in1 proper relation and irom-rlateral-fia cross: -l oiecer-= 2 [i -is. i placed 1 1 i displacement; 'aerosstne bar endbeen Ernss: piece: 2 1 has eleven spac'e'd -ap'art verticalslots-itoreceiver-the rear- 'm'o'st ends orthe'drivin'g' members/:2 0:,:the elower edges oiv: the :members 1'2 it resting: im the lower edgesloathe;associatedslots;:aEtrchidrivingmemberliflr 'atait's re'armost'send h'as ac small-l recessn along itsiuppenfed'geEtetminating iiniaraise'd ho'ol: 'ts every end; =Re'ce'sses 22:2 andehooks 1.213-limitiatl'ie length: :of :zthe longitudinal? movementsofuthe'idrivinglznembers empthe forward edgecfi recess 22 rrengaging.the; up'pen edge iDfiZj-tS; :assQ- fcia-tedasloti in cross 1 piece i I;to stop zits ifronteto- 'Iali stroke. hilether'hookziendffla;engagesitthe :uppe'rr edge: ts iasscciated-islotz-to limit. the; lie---turn stroke thereby. i Also, the recessed reargends For"; the; gmembers :23; If Within: theirqzasso- 121733 2 19W, a t re saris ri d pened? 3a nt parallel comb-likef Each of the "10 piece 3 therebehind.

apart are ten cocking elements IQ CFigP 3-):

the switch suppofte'dz'ateither hereinafter.

ioi itudine l y i P greate 4 fingers 28 are positioned to engage atnormal a stud 29 projecting from each driving member 20 immediately toits left. To maintain each vertical finger 26 in engagement with a stud29 projecting rearwardly to the right from the associated driving member26 immediately to its left, is 'all springs) e1? (Fig.f) 'are attacliengto lower "hooks 28 0f cocking elements *1 B at one end and at theirother ends to hooks 32 secured to heel- The force of these springs 31.willwatnnormal tend to rotate the cocking element'si'eclo'ckwise (Fig.i) and so hold fingers T23 in engagementnwith studs 29 of driving memers'21? to@the left thereadjacent as well as hold- """th""'a ssoei te'ddriving member 28 thereabove *indts"uppernori'nal position by means offinger w xi Along its lower edge, each driving member 28 is provideawith a cooking step 33. At normal, each driving member 2! rests in thisstep 33 upon the tip: 016 hockedfingeiwiil. of its. associatedgcoek-:ing celementi .l 3,. therebelow "Io ;.1orwardiy hQltl and-:Fflu'lnitimidriv nemembers, 251 c h s PQ tion which is the normal position N g g 1=3 .=ie ::!1.-,-. 5; @Mare c nne ted s mmered to a mssfi r si yxconicted;mend.ertensi necen ber which ha above-e d near their forward endsand i at normal forward against their stopsga described liereinbefore ofcooking element mouni nswshafi .218 and: pos ti ned 11 i, $5 K 1. a ithe i e w in le t hQSX tch (Fig. l nto;

be eiiplai ned in deta all operation of: the

s ron e le. s rin defiesa 1- t de e e enema l $20kifi3=fiitwh$ia 0 3(Fig. i) and at theotherz end-10in hole 44 provided therefor in armature4|. Even though the instant embodiment is indirectly magnet driven, byslight re-arrangement as by lowering shaft 40 and spring 42 to aposition below the magnets, the device could as easily be directlydriven instead of indirectly driven by force of retractile Spring 42.Spring 42 pulls armature 4| against any lowered driving member in itsoperating path and pushes it rearward, the complete operation to beexplained more fully hereinafter.

Finally, armature 4| is provided with a left side arm 45 and buffer '46at the end thereof to engage and open a set of interrupter springs 47attached to base 2 each time the magnets are energized pulling the upperedge and attached arm 45 of the armature 4| away from the drivingmembers 20. The magnets 6 and '1 operating circuit may be connected tothese interrupter springs 41 to effect a stepping operation in wellknown manner and will not be further detailed, or also, in well knownmanner, the magnets 6 and I may be energized by pulsing into them as bydial interruptions efiecting a stepping independent of the interruptersprings '41.

Having described the mechanism of the device, the operation is asfollows:

Assuming all the driving members 26 to be at normal, and also assumingthat the first impulse is received by the magnets 6 and causing themagnets 6 and to'attract the armature 4| into its forwardmost position,the first driving member 20 adjacent ear 8 will be loweredat itsfrontmost end to its operate position by the force of its associatedspring 34 as there is nothing to hold it up out of the operating path ofarmature 4|." Also bail 33 is in its uppermost position under theremaining ten driving members 2! which are in their upper normalpositions, and L pin 39 is therefore in its lower osition under theweight of the. first driving member 2!]. This isb'est visualized bylooking at Fig. '7 where it becomes rather obvious that L pin 39 andball 38 act in a see-saw fashion; when one is up, the other must bedown. If the pulse into the magnets 6 and l is thru interrupter springs.41, bufier 46 will open the interrupter contacts and the magnets 6 and'i will de-energize thereby or, if directly pulsed, the magnets 6 and Iwill deenergize after the duration of the pulse. Then, retractile spring42 pulls the armature 4| in toward the switch where it drives the firstdriving member 20 rearward until halted at its full rearward stroke bythe forward edge of recess 22 thereon, coming in contact with the upperedge of the slot in cross piece 2|. In moving rearward, stud 29 of thefirst driving member 28 adjacent to ear 8 engages vertical finger 26 ofthe cooking element |3 associated with the next or second driving member20 and rotates it on shaft l8 counter-clockwise (Fig. 5). In so doing,curved finger'2l of the cocking element |9 is likewise rotated downwardreleasing its support from under the second driving member 28, wherebythe second driving member 20 moves slightly forwardly under the bias ofthe associated spring 34 moving the cooking step 33 forwardly with:respect to its normal position directly above the 6 pushed from againstrests l2 into contact with the four bar contacts |-D simultaneously. Thefirst group of contactors 5 are thus held closed until the magnets 6 andI are again energized.

Upon the next energization of the magnets 6 and l, as the armature 4| isattracted thereto and away from the driving members 20, the seconddriving member 20 is free to drop at its forward end under the force ofits associated spring 34 and does so. In dropping, the second drivingmember 20 depresses bail 38 causing L pin 33 to rise, the latter liftingthe first driving member 20 up out of the operating path of the armature4|, the spring 34 associated with the second driving member 2|) beingsomewhat stronger than the spring 34 associated with the first drivingmember 26. Coil spring 34 causes the first driving member 20 to returnforward as the armature 4| is being attracted to the magnets 6 and 'l,releasing the engaged rank of contactors Hi from bar contacts l0 andreturning them against insulated bar rests l2.

The magnets 6 and 1 upon de-energizing again permit retractile spring 42to pull the armature 4| in toward the driving members 20 where it nowengages only the second, lowered driving member 20 and drives itrearward to its run stroke in the same manner as described for the firstdriving member 2%. This movement in turn causes the stud 29 on thesecond driving member 30 to engage the vertical finger 26 of the cookingelement i9 associated with the third driving 7 member 20 and rotates itcounter-clockwise dieengaging its connected curved finger Zlfrom cockingstep 33 on the third driving member 2a preparing it to drop when thearmature 4| is again attracted away from its forward underpor-tion. Alsothe second rank of contactors i8 is pressed into contact with. barcontacts It. Upon the next energization of the magnets 6 and l, as withthe second driving member 20, the third driving member 20 falls keepingthe bail 38 down which of course keeps the first driving member 20 updue to L pin 39. The second driving member 23 is then likewise urgedforward by its spring 34, but unlike the first driving member 20, is nowalso urged upward to its normal position by spring 3| rotating theassociated cocking element |9 clockwise causing curved finger 2'! topush the driving member 20. upward until with its forward return stroke,it looks instep 33.

This sequence is now continued as long as the magnets 8 and l arepulsed. Should a train of less than ten pulses be sent into the magnets,then a subsequent set of pulses will begin with the next adjacentdropped driving member 20. When the eleventh and last driving member 20which has no stud '29 since there is no adjacent cocking element |9 toengage, has been dropped and driven, whether by a single train of pulsesor by a series of lesser trains of pulses, upon restoring, itsindividual cocking element spring 3| urges it upward into normalposition. Bail 38 then rises as L pin 39 is lowered due to the firstdriving member 20 being lowered to its operate position by the force ofits associated spring 34. The switch will thus function in continuouschain fashion as long and as often as its magnets '5 and I are pulsed.

Having described our invention in detail, what we claim and desire to beprotected by issuance of Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a counting device including a magnet for receiving a series ofmagnetizing impulses, a plurality of movably mounted driving membersrespectively. corresponding to the impulses of. said series, an.armature .operatively; associated with said. magnet andmovablebetweenreleased position and. an attractediposition along a fixedpath; common to saidgdriving members,.;movement of saidarmature-fromitslattractedposition into its released position moving-anyoneof said driving :members; disposethin said path ,to. count'thexcorresponding. impulse ofcsaid .-.1l8S,': first means normallymaintaining each of saidv driving membersexcept the first. out oi said.path, second means: carried by; each of; saiddriving members Xcept the.last and: cooperating with :said. first means. and. responsive to thecounting: movement ofcanyrone oflsaid drivingvmembers;except the l last.forpreparing, the positioningpi: thegnext succeeding one offsai'ddriving members into said path,- and third means responsive'to'mjovement of said .armature-i-roniitsi releasedposition into itsattracted positionior positioning any prepared 1 one ofl'said drivingmembers into said .path,.;said third means .alsosbe nglrespensive to..t-hesccond movement of said armature ,;from its. releasedp'ositionwinto its: =.attracted position: for; removing the'first ofsaiddriving members. from said path. ..;2.. The counting devicev set'iorthin; claim 1, wherein said third means is also 1 responsive v to the-.third.'=iand .rsuccessive movements of; said armaturenfrom -itsreleased position into its at tracted; position.forremoving.;the;second:. and

succeeding; ones of said driving members from saidpathr: .i' .11.-

3. The..counting;.-device setforth in; claim 2, wherein said thirdmeansisalso responsive to movement. of said armature from its releasedpositionin-to its attracted position following the counting movement ofthe .lastpof said driving members; for: returning the firstcf .saiddriving members into saidpath- 4.1Thecounting deviceset'-.forth..in;claim 1 .whereinv'first means includeaa plurality ofmultifmgered rotatably mounted cocking. elements, re spectivelyoperatively associatedwith-the second andsucceedingone ofsaiddrivingmembers. .5.,Thea.counting.device..set :forth inclaim-, i,wherein said second means. carried .byneach of said driving-membersexcept the last includesa stud-carried thereonandlengageable with one ofthe fingersflon the. next succeedingcne, "of said cocking elements, thecounting movement of' any oneof said driving.:memb.ers exceptthelastcans;- ing the .oneof said studslcarried. [thereonato engage. thecnefinger on, the next jsucceedm 9 1. of. said. cocking. elementsrotating it to prepare the: associated succeeding...one.-..of. saiddriving .members to bepositioned insaid path.

T6..The: counting device set fortnin claimand :further comprising aplurality of ranks of movably-.mounted contactors respectively opera.tively associatedwith said: driving members, said contactorstbeing alsarranged in aplurality of .files, and a1plurality .of barcontacts'respectively .operatively, associated with said files of; saidcon tactors l 7, In a;countingideviceincludinga magnetlfor said; magnetand ,movable, between la released position and an attracted positionalong a fixed path common tosaid driving members-,movement of saidarmature from its. attracted position into. its released positionmovingany. one of said :driving members disposed :in-v saidpathto 8 countthecorresponding impulse of. said series, first-means,;normallymaintaining each of said drivingmembers. except the, first out, of saidpath, second ,means; carried; "by each; of zsaid driving membersexceptthe last and cooperatinglwith said. first; means and responsiveto. the; counting movementcftanvone of said; driving members except thelast;for .preparing the positioning of thenextsucceeding one .of saiddriving members into; saidv path,- and. third means including a o..-tatably mounted shaft carrying at-pin andra bail and responsive-tomovement of said armature from. its released position into itsattractedposl: tion for positioning the nextsucceeding prepared one ofsaiddrivingmembers into saidpath; said pin'being disposed. onone sideofsaid shaitand potioned underthefirst .of said. driving membersandsaid:v bail being. disposed-on therotherwside oft-said. shaft-,- andpositioned under the second and succeeding ..;ones.- of. said driving amembers, said; shafthaving; one position wherein. said pin disengagesthe first'of: said/driving members ac: commodating-:.movement thereof;into said path and. iwherein said bail engages the .second.; andsucceeding ones .of. said driving members moving them out of said path,said shafthavinganother position wherein said pin=engages thefirstofisaid drivingmembers moving .it out of said. path and wherein saidbaildisengages the second'and succeeding onesofwsaid drivingmembersaccommodating movement of any. onethereofi into-said pathv .r .l

18;. .In. a counting device including anoperating magnet for receivingmagnetizing impulses thereto, a first seriesv of impulsesreceivedbysaidmagr net, :other series of. impulses: subsequentlyreceivcd'by saidmagnet, a first=driving memberandxladpluralitv'ofadditional driving members corresponding respectivelyto successive impulses in. said series ;of ..impulses,. an armaturecommon toJall .01 said driving-members movable by' said magnet andhaving-an definite operatingv path for. moving said driving ,members,'meansnormally maintaining, all of said. driving members .exceptthe.firstout of said operating path other meanscfor; positioning said.first' driving member within said-.- operating path whereby only saidfirst; drivingmcmber. is moved to count the first impulse in said firstseries, engaging means on each-10f said driving members exceptzthe lastco.- operating with said vfirst mentioned .meansL and said armature ionsuccessively positioning. ;fur, their driving members, within saidoperating path, in which position they are successivelyvmovedito counttheir corresponding impulsesin said first series, and afterthedrivingmember correspond.- ing tothe; last impulsei-n. said, firstserieshas beenmoved tucount said-impulse, the next sucsceeding ,driving,member and ufurther driving members will; be positioned and moved. tocount their corresponding impulses in; the next, Series bysaid .firstmentioned meansgsaid e aging means andsaid'armatureyand in case the sumof saidqseries of; impulses exceed the totalnum- 'ber ofidrivingvmembers after-the. last .ofsaid driving members has beenmovedto. count-the next successive impulse of said series of; impulses,

thensaid other means again positioningsaidfirst driving member withinsaid operatingnlpath-wto count: the next successive impulse ofsaidlseries,

the cycle now continuing in endless chain fashion lcountingvtheremaining impulses innsaidnext series as wellasany subsequent'seriesofimpulses 9. L In a counting: device,. a frameincludings a base, aheelpiece and two parallel ears all rigidly connected together, asub-base attached to and extending behind said base, there rising in avertical wall flush against the rear of said heelpiece a plurality ofranks and files of contactors movably mounted to said vertical wall, asecond pair of ears of an electrically insulating material aflixed tosaid other ears extending there behind and above, a plurality of barcontacts mounted between said second pair of ears and ones of said barcontacts positioned rearwardly adjacent each file of said contactors, aplurality of driving members slidably mounted between said ears, each ofsaid driving members insulatingly connected near one end to a rank ofsaid contactors, rotatably mounted cocking elements individual to andbelow each of said driving members except the first, a bail and a pinrotatably mounted on opposite sides of a shaft, said shaft mountedbetween said ears, said bail beneath all of said driving members exceptthe first and said pin beneath only said first driving member; a magnetmounted on said heelpiece beneath said driving members, cocking elementsand bail and pin, for receiving a series of impulses thereinto; anarmature operable by said magnet responsive to an impulse receivedtherein, a retractile spring for moving said armature in a definiteretractile path upon termination of any of said impulses, all of saiddriving members except the first normally out of said armaturesretractile path and so held by said individual cocking elements, saidarmature moving said first driving member responsive to the terminationof the first of said series of impulses causing said attached rank ofcontactors to engage said rearwardly adjacent bar contacts, an engagingstud rigidly connected forwardly and to the right of each of saiddriving members, said stud on said first driving member engaging thecocking element beneath the next adjacent driving member to the rightcausing it to be rotated thereby removing its support and preparing saidnext adjacent driving member to be positioned within said armature path,restoring springs on each of said driving members, said restoring springon said first driving member causing said first driving member torestore responsive to said second impulse of said series operating saidmagnet and armature, and said next adjacent driving member then droppinginto said armatures retractile path causing said bail to lowerthereunder raising said oppositely disposed-pin which raises said firstdriving member out of said path, each succeeding driving member beingsimilarly positioned into said path to count its corresponding impulse,and spring means on each of said cocking elements for moving itsindividually associated driving member up out of said armatureretractile path after it has been moved to count its correspondingimpulse and has been restored, this sequence continuing until the lastdriving member has been moved and has counted its corresponding impulse,restored and has been returned to normal out of said armaturesretractile path by its individual cocking element and spring meansthereon, whereupon said bail is raised by the weight of said firstdriving member on said pin which is lowered again positioning said firstdriving member within said armatures path, this cycle being repeated incontinuous chain fashion responsive to reception by said magnet ofsubsequent series of impulses.

10. In a counting device as claimed in claim 9, interrupter springsmounted onto said base and an arm on said armature for engaging andopening said springs each time an impulse has been received by saidmagnet, said springs tensioned to close when said armature is retractedby said retractile spring responsive to the termination of any of saidimpulses.

KENNETH W. GRAYBILL. HANS SENGEBUSCH.

REFERENCES CITED lhe following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,441,001 Bellamy May 4, 19482,452,568 Harrison Nov. 2, 1948 2,538,817 Bellamy Jan. 23, 19512,538,818 Bellamy et a1 Jan. 23, 1951

